


So far, So long (Please let me leave in peace)

by Banchie



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: But He's Trying Now, But when he finds put he's pissed, Fix-It of Sorts, Floris | Fundy Deserves Better, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Ghost Wilbur Soot, Ghostbur just wants what's best for his little brother, Hurt/Comfort, I had two beta readers, IVE HAD TO DO TAGS FOUR FUCKING TIMES, Ill add as I update, Im Projecting, January 6th ?, Manipulative Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Mental Health Issues, Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Phil wasn't a great father, Pissed Niki, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Ghostbur, Protective Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Wilbur Soot, Ranboo wants to help, Sam would be such a good dad to Tubbo, Suicidal Thoughts, Technoblade Hears Voices (Video Blogging RPF), Technoblade doesn't know what happened with Dream really, They runaway, Toby Smith | Tubbo Has Horns, Toby Smith | Tubbo Needs a Hug, Toby Smith | Tubbo in a Box, TommyInnit Has PTSD (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit Needs a Hug (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit is a BAMF, Touch-Starved, Tubbo helps tommy, Tubbo is a BAMF, Tubbo is scared of Technoblade still, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, and food just dissolves into raw energy and heath, and kind of a tommy one, awesamdad, because im stupid, but he dosnt let that stop him at all, co dependency, dont question it, ghostbur is just a little confused, holy shit, i dont know her, i saw a tik tok and it had yet to leave my head, im a tubbo apologist, maybe Dadschlatt, maybe mom Quackity, pissed Drista, pre- L'manburg final death, sometimes, sort of a technoblade one too if you squint, the voices can be helpful, they still have inventory's
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:34:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28828989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Banchie/pseuds/Banchie
Summary: Tommy cant bring himself to watch as a place he once called home is destroyed by his own hands, so late the night before it was all supposed to go down, Tommy texts Tubbo with a proposition."i was thinkingneither of us really want to be there tomorrowand wellhomes gone anywaysowhat if we just leave? just pack up everything and go to the nether and walk a new thousand blocks and build a new nether portal and then blow it up behind us so no one can follow us and we’ll build a new home for the two of us away from all of this and no one will bother us ever again.No dream, No wars, No TNT, no bullshit.just you, me, whatever we can shove into shulker boxes in the next 30 minutes, and some good ol’ reckless abandon.TommyInnit:opinions?  "
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Alexis | Quackity/Jschlatt, Dream SMP Ensemble & TommyInnit, Grayson | Purpled & Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Niki | Nihachu & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Sam | Awesamdude & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 33
Kudos: 716





	1. Lets leave, Tubbo.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this during detention and got really attached-  
> feel free to leave a comment

To say Tommy was tired was an understatement; the child was far past exhausted. There wasn’t much left for him here other than war, betrayal, and pain. Tomorrow, his good friend (who Tommy was only slightly too proud to admit he saw as an older brother) was planning on destroying his old home in the same way it was started- with far too much TNT and blood shed.

At this point, his home blowing up wasn't the part that bothered him, he had long since lost attachment to the place and by now saw it as little more than the walls and bad memories. However, the people that resided within the walls were the problem. Whether exiled or not, they were once his friends, his family, his war buddies, and the child soldier found sleep hard to come by when thinking about betraying these people. He wished he could pack up everything and everyone he cared for and run away from it all.

It wasn't the first time he had thought of such things, no, that belonged to the first night he spent completely alone in his pathetic excuse for a tent, dreaming of tearing down the towering obsidian walls back at L’manburg and declaring a personal war with the very tyrant that put them there. Those thoughts stayed dreams but the second part, the part where he grabbed his best friend and begged him to run away together after he had won the battle, was a recurring theme. 

Tubbo was all Tommy had left, if he was completely honest. Back at Logstedshire, Dream had successfully pushed Tommy to his end, convincing him Tubbo hated him and everyone was happy he was gone, That L’manburg was thriving without him. The moments Tommy spent on top of that sand tower surrounded by the crater that was once his (home? House? Pathetic excuse for a shelter?) land were, without a doubt, the longest and most changing of his life. He scoffed at the memories now, the idea he had almost let the Green bastard win a battle he had no right to be in filled him with well recognised rage.

Even when coming off the tower, packing up the few items he had to his name and seeking out Techno, Tommy had still let his brain be rotten with the things Dream had told him. He was mad at everyone at L’manburg then; no one had come to see him except for the Hybrid he had no previous relationship with. It only took one trip back to the main lands for that to change. Running into Tubbo had not been on the agenda that day, but Tommy was far too used to nothing in life going to plan. 

They had made eye contact when Tommy was trying to kidnap the newbie- Connor- and in a second Tommy could see how awful his Best friend had looked. His eye bags seemed to reach his soul and his tensed shoulders were hunched with almost visible sorrow. The look in his eyes haunted Tommy, even now. The President looked absolutely broken; guilt, mourning, disbelief, confusion, and overwhelming exhaustion looked back at Tommy with tears collecting. 

Tommy had tried to glare at him, to be angry at the one who had ordered his exile, but once the other had rushed at him and threw them both to the ground in a bone crushing hug all attempts fell flat. The sobbing echoed around the two, and for a long moment, it was just the two again, two children far too young for the expectations put upon them. Far too young for the many wars they had fought and died in. Tommy hugged back and put his all into consoling the short boy holding onto him with a death grip. If he tried hard enough, Tommy could remember how awful he used to be at consoling Tubbo (or anybody, really. Even himself), and how much better he had become at it so quickly during the first war they were thrown into.

Eventually, Tubbo did calm down, though he did not let go, and he leaned back to look Tommy in the eyes before begging for his forgiveness. He sputtered out about how he knew the other had hated him- hated everybody- thanks to Dream but he had still tried to get around the older man to see him. By the time he got past the tyrant, Tommy was gone and all that was left was a giant crater and a sand tower reaching for the heavens. Tubbo thought His best friend had killed himself and it was his fault. It was hard to hear through the blubbering and fat tears running down his face, but eventually Tommy understood and was filled with the rage once again.

Tommy convinced Techno to leave him and Tubbo alone for just half an hour and they got to talking. It took no time at all for the two boys to realise they had been gaslighted by Dream and the rest was spent with apologies and more physical contact then either could remember getting in a very long time. Tommy gave Tubbo his contact for his new communicator (his old one went ‘missing’ in Logstedshire- Both knew well it was just another attempt at bringing the taller boy down to nothing) just before Techno came back to steal away Tommy. Tubbo gave the Piglin Hybrid his thanks for taking care of Tommy when he himself had failed and turned a blind eye when the man pulled out a splash potion of invisibility just before Quackity showed up. The Vice was going to ask but anyone could see that was the lightest the President had looked in years.

Tommy remembers Techno almost smiling at it, though he could barely see any difference thanks to the boar skull. He wonders, now that he has a moment, when he had begun to pick up on Techno's small body movements that told Tommy everything he needed to know. When had he gotten so good at reading people, picking up on the small things. He had known Techno since he was a baby- of course he would know him at least a little, but what about Dream? When had Tommy noticed that Dream would put his thumb in between his pointer and middle finger when he was upset? Or how his back would straighten when he brought up Sapnap or George during that last month of Tommy’s exile. (What happened there? Since when would Dream of all people avoid talking about his best friends?)

When Techno continued to insist they should Blow up the small country, Tommy honestly couldn't be bothered to fight against him for long (Honestly, it was the shortest argument of Tommy’s life. He recalled seeing Technoblades eyes widen when the younger boy turned away and gave up, surprised and distrustful. He thought he won too easily when really, it was barely a fight at all). They both knew the water- filled crater was far past its due date and too much trouble for anyone to bother trying to revive for a third time. Much like the rest of them, L’manburg was on its third life, and it would surely lose the battle against the infamous ‘Blood God’. The title made Tommy laugh if he thought about it when in a good mood- who would have thought toddler him’s random babbling would have become a world renounced title..

He was not, in fact, in a good mood, so Tommy back tracked his line of thinking a bit. Running away with Tubbo. When the very small argument with Techno ended, Tommy had branched off and texted Tubbo almost immediately, giving him fair warning so he could move his prized possessions off the premises and recommending him to not even bother putting in the work for a resistance. Tubbo texted him back quickly when he was done- the older boy found there was little he bothered to have an attachment to after Dream had killed his bees oh so long ago. 

Now though, a week later, Tommy knew well Tubbo was also up thinking too hard. He didn't want to blow up the place, didn’t want to see the devastation on everybody’s face as Tommy stood next to Techno with a flint and steel surrounded by an even larger crater where their homes once stood. The place may be a shell of what it once stood for and he may have no emotional attachment, but that didn’t mean the others felt the same. 

His nephew, for instance. Gods, His poor nephew. That boy has gone through hell and back 3 times over just to be left behind, and even now it filled Tommy with guilt and regret. Or Niki. Sweet, little Niki, who Tommy was decidedly NOT too proud to admit he saw as a sister and who ever so slightly scared him. She would be heartbroken; her home, her bakery all gone- every memory he knew she kept of Wilbur wiped away with it. Or even poor Quackity, who seemed to continue getting the short end of the stick every time without fail. (Dead husband, Techno PTSD, and little power outside of politics followed the man undoubtedly everywhere.) Losing the country he had truly poured his soul into by his biggest enemy would devastate the comedian.

Tommy tossed himself unto his back again and pulled out his communicator, the dark screen still somewhat bleeding in the almost pitch blackness of his room. The few chatrooms he had seemed to mock him, especially the one on top that he quickly tapped on. He went to type but hesitated, looking back at the end of the last conversation he had.

**Tubbo_:**

I got it all moved to my Jungle base 

**TommyInnit:**

that didn't take long at all

**Tubbo_:**

I know, I could move it all in one shulker box with plenty of room to spare.

I guess I don't care as much for things as I used too

The house looks pretty much the same too

**TommyInnit:**

well, moving light is good anyway

**Tubbo_:**

Yeah lol, i guess

I feel bad for not warning them but i know they would all want to fight back

Well maybe not Phil, but still

I hope Niki will forgive me.

**TommyInnit:**

i'm sure she will Big man

Niki has always been more level headed then the rest of us

**Tubbo_:**

Speak for yourself, I'm plenty level headed!!

**TommyInnit:**

sure Tubs.

**Tubbo_:**

Oh bug off

I got to go now Big T, My Presidential duties cannot fall behind

No matter how temporary they are

**TommyInnit:**

okay Big T, Be safe, see you soon.

**Tubbo_:**

See you soon.

_See you soon._

It was almost mocking. Even at the time, Tommy recognised the weight behind the words. Neither of the boys wanted their next meet up to be like this, the next time they see each other was meant to be of them on opposite sides. His fingers hovered over the keys once again, contemplating what to say and even more so, how to say it. How do you explain to your best friend that you want him to drop everything and everyone he loves just to run away with you to a place neither of you know?

He sucked in a breath. 

**TommyInnit:**

Tubs?

His breathing was shallow as he waited for a reply. He was sure Tubbo was awake, when wasn’t he- the boy's awful sleep schedule he had developed as president could rival Technoblade’s- but what if just this one time he was in bed early? What if Tommy was interrupting the already little sleep the boy got? What if he didn't want to go, even if he was awake? What if-

The faintest ping interrupted Tommy’s spiral; a new message lit up the screen.

**Tubbo_:**

Tommy? What are you doing awake? 

Are you okay?

Tommy smiled at his concern. He knew if he had no one after this, at least he would always have Tubbo. He hesitated on his reply, still not sure how to put it all out there for the other to see.

**TommyInnit:**

i’m fine big man

it’s hard to sleep knowing what happening tomorrow

**Tubbo_:**

I know what you mean

Not that either of us can do much about ti now though

You should get soem rest Toms

**TommyInnit:**

that’s the thing, kinda

Tubbo i was thinking

**Tubbo_:**

Must have been difficult 

**TommyInnit:**

Shut the fuck up

**Tubbo_:**

LOL

**TommyInnit:**

ANYWAY

i was thinking

neither of us really want to be there tomorrow

and well

homes gone anyway

so

what if we just leave? just pack up everything and go to the nether and walk a new thousand blocks and build a new nether portal and then blow it up behind us so no one can follow us and we’ll build a new home for the two of us away from all of this and no one will bother us ever again.

No dream, No wars, No TNT, no bullshit.

just you, me, whatever we can shove into shulker boxes in the next 30 minutes, and some good ol’ reckless abandon.

**TommyInnit:**

opinions?

Tommy held his breath as he waited for Tubbo to respond. He had sat up in bed while typing out his rant, his fist clenched the blanket pooling at his waist in anticipation. (They were blue, Techno had changed them out from the red ones a week into Tommy's stay. He had mentioned preferring the colour blue as of late since it reminded him of Wilbur and his new distaste of the colour red as it was always too close to the shade of blood he saw everyday anyway (Tommy would never say it outloud, but he was ever grateful to the pig man for the change)). As he stared at his text the anxiety came back.

_What if he says no? Tommy couldn't leave without him. What if Tubbo thinks its dumb, or he gets angry at tommy for even thinking about leaving their entire lives behind to go somewhere they didnt know anything about? What if Tubbo was actually still really attached to L’manburg and had been saying he was okay with it going just to make Tommy feel better?_ His thoughts made his stomach twist so violently he almost didn't register the new text bubble pop up and the soft ding that followed it.

**Tubbo_:**

Tommy

I

There it is, Tommy wanted to cry, There was the beginning to Tubbo turning him down and Tommy would be resigned to going with Techno tomorrow and blowing his old home to smithereens and having to deal with everyone hating him and-

The ping felt much louder this time.

**Tubbo_:**

Okay.

I'll meet you at the Old Jungle base in 45 minutes

If you're late I'll take your last life myself, I swear Toms

The grin covering the younger boy's face almost hurt. He jumped out of his bed perfectly silent, as always. 

**TommyInnit:**

see you in 45 Tubs.


	2. No turning back (not that I want to)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE STREAM TODAY, HOOOOO MY GODDD. I WAS SCREAMING THE ENTIRE TIME, SUCK IT GREEEEEN BOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

For how loud Tommy was as a person, it often took people by surprise to realize that, unless he was doing it intentionally, you could ever hear his footsteps. Or his breathing. Or even the shuffling of his clothes. This habit he had surprisingly picked up before he had gone to war. Techno had taught him it as a game to keep the rambunctious child busy whenever both Wilbur and Phil were busy when he was younger, and When Tommy became quite the prankster, he got even better at it until it was just his natural state of being. It was a similar case with Tubbo, though the boy's breathing was sometimes audible and his clothes always seemed to move just a bit. It came in handy during the wars, especially when Tubbo was still a spy during the second one.

Tommy may as well have been floating as he crossed his room and opened the chest near the door, grabbing a shulker box and some building materials. He took careful steps close to the wall when going downstairs and placed the shulker box, propping it open and stuffing his inventory into it, only keeping out his axe, shield, a few ender pearls, and some food. He went to a few other chests around the room and pulled some basics out, only pocketing one health pot and closing the chests silently after. He did a sweep of the area around him before going back up to his room.

He broke down his bed and placed it at the top of his inventory, closing it and looking around him as he stood in the center of this room. With some hesitation he grabbed two books off the shelf and the single face down photo frame that was on his bedside table. He went to leave before stopping short. Hung right next to the door was Wilburs Pogtopia coat. With a minute of thinking, Tommy turned to his closet and quickly changed into his iconic red and white shirt with a black long sleeve under it and picked up the combat boots Techno had gifted him what felt like so long ago; turning on his heel, he threw his old clothes in the basket and the massive cape on the hook he yanked wilburs coat off (Ghostbur had given him the coat a few months into his exile, Said he saw the young boy shivering and hated the idea of him getting sick. It burned his skin to wear at the time and basically threw it off once the ghost had left to wherever he had disappeared to at the time. It was a sense of comfort now). He took a moment to look at the coat before tugging it on and buttoning it up. picking up the few things he had left, he shoved them in his shulker box and placed it in the front of his inventory. He went to grab the door before stopping and turning to another one of the chests lined up behind him.

He pulled out 10 obsidian and a flint and steel before shooting up and heading to the door once more. He was fast with his impulsive packing and had 15 cold minutes left to get his way to the jungle temple. He was slow to open the door, and couldn't help but wince when it creaked (Techno was a terribly light sleeper if he wasn't passed out from exhaustion, and Tommy didn't want to risk him coming down and stopping Tommy’s escape) but quickly slipped through the crack and closed the heavy winter door behind him. He pulled Wil’s coat around him tighter and set off to the closest nether portal.

(if he went through the forest just right, it would take him to the portal near his exile without feeling like he was back in his exile. It was 3 minutes longer of a walk, but it saved him from a panic attack before and Tubbo can deal with waiting a little longer rather than having to come save him off the sand.)

He kept his back turned when he stepped into the nether portal, and fought off the headache plane teleporting brought. When he stepped off the portal, he avoided looking to his right as he headed to the area the portal to the jungle temple brought him. He was careful walking to avoid the fires burning around him and ducked behind a wall when he heard the familiar sound of a Ghast crying, shifting around to dash to the next area.

It took another 6 minutes for him to get to the Jungle base’s Portal; walking through and instantly making eye contact with Tubbo. They held their breaths for a moment before Tubbo ran forward and pulled Tommy into a tight hug. He hugged back without hesitation, burying his face into Tubbo’s hair and fighting off the sudden urge to Cry. They were really doing this, they were really about to leave everything and everyone they had ever known without saying goodbye. Tommy squeezed Tubbo’s shoulder tighter for a moment before blinking hard and pulling away slightly.

“Heya Tubs, I’m here on time, yeah?” Tommy grinned at the shorter boy.

“Guess so. Damn, i was really looking forward to killing you too, bitch” Tubbo grinned right back at him, slightly glossy eyes shining with anticipation.

“Oi, fuck off! Like you’d even get close to killing me, I'm clearly a PvP god.” Undeniably, Tommy had gotten very good at combat while living with Technoblade; sparring was one of the Pig’s favorite hobbies and while Tommy still flinched at the sounds of iron clashing, he couldn't help but love the training with his older brother figure. In its own strange way, it was bonding, and even stranger still, it's as close to therapy Tommy had ever gotten. He could stand the familiar sounds of fighting without being filled with fear. (and if sometimes he still flinched and felt like cowering away, that was no one business but his.)

Tubbo laughed and nodded a bit before slightly sobering up, the smile on his face now filled with a distant sadness. “Damn, i guess we’re really doing this huh?”

“Hey big man, if you don't want to do this we don't have to. We can go home right now Tubbo, nothing would be wrong with backing out, I promise.” Tommy looked at him with concern, resting his hands on Tubbo’s shoulders. Tubbo shook his head and looked at Tommy, eyes burning with determination.

“No way Tommy. You said it yourself, Home’s been dead a long time; it's high time we move on and out. Besides, at least this way we’re safe, far away from Dream and the like. You and me against the world once again. How I want it to be.” Tommy’s eyes stung once again.

“Yeah Big T, you and me against the world.” Tommy shook his head and cleared his throat, “So, ready to head out? We won't be making it very far if we don't leave now”

Tubbo nodded and Tommy turned back to the portal, grabbing Tubbo’s hand and holding his breath while taking a step back into the portal. There was really no going back now.

The teleportation was short and they both stepped back unto the path. It was a short conversation but Tubbo suggested heading up to where they go to head to Sam’s base and just running off in one of the other directions. It was quite a trip, and Tubbo almost got burned by a magma cube twice, but eventually they made it up the latch and took a short stop to regain some energy before setting off in a direction adjacent to The Path to Sam’s home.

They walked for a few hours, by now having out around 6,000 blocks between them and were the entrance to the top of the nether starts before Tommy and Tubbo finally stopped. Tommy set up the portal fairly quickly, borrowing some blocks from Tubbo for the corners and letting the shorter boy light the portal. They both stepped back and admired their work, The portal standing tall and strong; the swirling purple lighting up the Boys’ features. 

They looked at each other with teary eyes and wide smiles.

“You go through first Tommy, I’ll set up and light the TNT after I step in.” Tubbo’s tune left no room for argument and Tommy honestly didn't want to anyway. He knew the older boy was being careful with Tommy’s PTSD and he couldn't be more grateful. He stepped into the portal and sent him a large grin, watching him pull out a few pieces of TNT and grin back.

  
  


Stepping off the platform, Tommy took out his axe before looking around where they ended up. They were in the middle of a lush forest and he could see a few mountains off in the distance. It was perfect.

He heard the portal behind him activate and turned around to watch Tubbo step out of the portal with his bow drawn and looked around like Tommy did second before. He turned to Tommy and grinned, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Tommy laughed at the sight and pulled out his pickaxe, quickly breaking down the nether portal before turning and grabbing Tubbo’s hand again. 

“Let’s find a clearing to start building in, yeah?” Tubbo nodded quickly and took the initiative and began dragging Tommy in the direction of the Mountains.


	3. How do I Handle Life Without you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're gone. Who's there to care?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, a few things. One: I can only update every other week because of home things, I'm so sorry. Two: In this fic, Dream XD is basically a god, so instead of swearing to god or anything (which they will still do) they'll swear to 'XD' instead. Anyway, love y'all, thank you for reading, see you in two weeks!

[This chapter is going to be little rough to follow but please, god, bear with me]

  
  


The first thing Technoblade noticed when slowly waking up the next day, was that his room was a little colder then it would normally be, like someone had opened a window a few hours prior and the cold Tundra air hadn't quite disappeared. The second and consequently third thing Techno noticed, was that we was waking up  _ slowly _ and he couldn’t hear Tommy and oh g _ od where the fuck is Tommy- _

Technoblade knew Tommy could be quiet, he’s the one who taught him for XD’s sake, but once Tommy had accidentally snuck up on Technoblade and almost lost an arm, the young boy had made a point to heavily place his footsteps or have his clothes shuffle as he moved. Techno never had to tell the boy to do that, he just knew, and it warmed Techno’s heart in ways he would rather die than admit to. (He often wondered how Tommy knew just what to do, he saw him change the way he acted when Techno was getting frustrated or the voices were getting too loud. The hybrid thought he hid his feelings well enough, so how did Tommy always  _ know _ ? When did that become a thing?)

Technoblade threw himself off of his bed, trying not to trip on the blanket that now rested on the floor as he ran out of his room and over to Tommy’s. He threw open the door and hardly noticed the loud bang that resonated through the cottage as his eyes fixated on the suddenly bare spot of the floor in front of him. Tommy was gone, and so was his bed. His eyes drifted over the room, noticing the missing picture frame and then the massive cloak hanging up just beside him. Techno grabbed the cloak and pulled it to his chest in a moment of vulnerability, and kept it held tight as he walked down stairs, eyes searching for any amount of movement at all.

His chests had been opened, he could see the lids placed differently then he had left them the night before, the latches not quite closed like they usually are, and there was the tiniest bit of now- melted snow in front of his door. When taking a look into some of his chests, he could see that a few things were missing. Nothing big, just wood, tools, little foods, potions he could remake with no trouble. Things that didn't matter; not like how Tommy mattered.

The Piglin hybrid sat on top of a chest and took a moment to recognize that the voices, for once in his life, were terribly silent. Just like his house. ~~Just like the boy he had come to see as a little brother was last night when he took his things and left.~~

Why? Why would Tommy leave? He already told Techno he didn't care for L’manburg, he didn't care for the government, so why? Why would he leave without so much as a note, a message for the older man to wake up to?

Technoblade considered himself to be quite a literate man, but as he sat there, with his ~~(brothers)~~ friends cloak draped on his lap and his communicator in hand, he hadn't a clue what to say. Where did he even begin? He didn't even know if he was angry or sad or heartbroken anymore. How could be possibly hope for Tommy to respond, to tell him why and where, and how come he went  _ alone when Technoblade would have put down everything for his littlest- _

How could he ask when the boy hadn't left a note in the first place? Surely that was on  _ purpose _ , Tommy would have had all the time in the world before he ran. Why did this feel so much like betrayal, but also so much  _ worse _ ?

Many, many blocks away, A bright bubbly woman with pink hair and the kindest smile walked the paths winding throughout her home with her arm laced around a basket filled to the brim with sweet breads and mini sandwiches. Her feet automatically lead her to her favorite president's house, a brief look of confusion crossing her features when she saw no lights were on in his home before hoping that maybe the boy had finally gotten some actual sleep and had yet to rise for the day. 

(It was so rare for Tubbo to sleep in that Niki almost turned around at the idea of having to wake the young boy up. He seemed so much lighter lately, it was a breath of fresh air to those around him. She wondered, but she would never pry.)

When she knocked on the door she listened closely for any movement, and when she heard none put her head close to the door and called loudly.

“Tubbo? It's almost 9 bub; I brought breakfast!”

Niki frowned as only more silence followed her call. She hated to, but he checked the handle and only panicked a little bit when she found the door unlocked. (Tubbo had once told her that he can't sleep unless every door and window are closed and locked tight, too many attacks in the middle of the night during war had created unbreakable habits. Her heart hurt when she remembered his 17th birthday was in a month at the time.) The kind woman pushed the door open and called again, setting her basket on the table near the door and heading over to Tubbo’s room.

“Tubbo? It's just Niki. Are you okay hun?” She knocked on his bedroom door and opened it just a crack.

Waiting for her is an empty, cold room. On the precisely made bed is a single piece of paper, loopy chicken scratch seen from where she stood. Niki swallowed the quickly forming lump in her throat and crossed the room as quickly as her trembling legs to take her. She was so confused but tried holding off the mounting questions and creeping panic to insead pick up the note with trembling hands and gently settle on the bed. As her eyes fluttered around the pace, Niki found it harder and harder to not cry. Her boy was gone, he had no intention of coming back ever.

Like a whisper, her family had suddenly left her life once again.

Her crying could just barely be heard outside of the house, and as suddenly Ranboo looked in through the window, he just as quickly turned around and ran. Up, through the nether portal, straight to the top of the world, and off the Enderman was on a path of ice.

  
  
  


‘ _ Niki, I know it will be you to find this letter, and I am sorry. I’ve left, run away from L’manburg with the few things I care for and have no intention of ever coming back. This land is cursed, the very opposite of what it was supposed to stand for and I can't bring myself to stay here any longer. I don't know where I'm going, I don't know when I'll get there, But once I've made it a home, perhaps you can come visit. I'm sick of the fighting Niki, I'm so tired of seeing the blood of my closest friends stain the ground around me. _

_ Tell Ranboo and Sam I'm sorry for going without them, but this is for the best. I leave Quackity and Fundy in charge, as a duo. They’ll do good things for what's left of this land. _

_ Im sorry. Till next time. _

_ Toby.  _ ‘


	4. If You Left, I'd be the First to Follow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're gone. What will Ranboo and Sam do now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i did some small edits to chapter one if you want to re-read any of that, nothing super important but it exists! live y'all

Ranboo didn't like the nether. He didn't hate it like most humans and hybrids, but he was not fond of it. It was too hot, too dangerous. The sweltering heat made his suit stick to his skin uncomfortably and any breeze that fluttered by was too stuffy to enjoy. But, it was undeniably useful; the dimension compressed the space of the real world seamlessly, getting anywhere wasn't an issue. Getting to Sam to tell him to pack ri _ ght fucking now- _ wouldn't be an issue.

Besides, Enderman liked the nether. (so did ghasts. He dashed past one in his mad sprinting to the top of the dimension and pretended he didn't hear when it called after him.) So if Ranboo skipped the extra turns the path followed by just teleporting as far as he could, it wasn't like anyone would see it anyway. In a record time of 5 minutes, the enderman had made it to the top of the dimension and hoped in a boat, picking up speed as fast as the gods would allow, and when he could just barely see the nether portal he launched himself out of the boat at teleported right to the edge of the portal. (If he were any less panicked, Ranboo would be ecstatic, he was learning how to teleport by will, and he could go long distances. He was learning how to control his hybrid half much better now (if he would let himself, he would wonder if Techno would be proud)) 

Dimension hopping was exhausting, dizzyinging, and normally made Ranboo sick to his stomach. Typically, if he went to Sam’s house he would bring a potion or have Sam wait for him by the portal to make sure he wouldn't collapse. This time, He tripped out of the portal and scraped his knee before getting right back up and sprinting through the nauseating feeling. The sun had just barely begun peeking over the mountains where the Creeper Hybrid lived, and it was to Ranboos knowledge that that meant the man would have just woken up with the sun and was in the middle of making food. His feet felt like they weren't hitting the ground as he ran into the clearing, teleporting through the door and directly in front of Sam. (It was amazing really, not only could he control it now, but he could go through thin walls. Did it only work cause he knew what the room looked like on the other side? Would he be able to do this when he wasn't panicking over Tubbo and Tommy- FUCK TUBBO AND TOMMY)

“SAM! SAM! THEIR GONE, SAM! THEY’VE LEFT AND TUBBO RAN WITH A NOTE AND I THINK HE TOOK TOMMY AND I-” He was hysterical, he knew, but what else could he be? He was unabashedly attached to those two teenager's. They were some of the only people who really understood, they cared for him, they knew. Dream tormented all of them. (He hated to admit it, but Tubbo and Tommy were the only reason Ranboo was sure he was real. He wasn't completely crazy, not as long as those two were there. (but they’re not))

Sam dropped the jar of golden nuggets he was holding and went to comfort Ranboo. Grabbing his hands and rubbing his shoulder, Sam sank them to the floor slowly.

“Woah, Hey now, Slow down Ran. It’s okay, you're safe here kid. I need you to slow down so I can understand you. You’re barely speaking English.” Sam’s voice was slow and lowered, trying not to startle the Enderman and running through the very few english words he was able to understand in Ranboo’s yelling. The boy’s shaking got more controlled and his breathing evened out enough to start taking.

“Im sorry Sam, I failed. Tubbo left, packed up his shit and went on an adventure, I'm pretty sure with Tommy. He wrote a note, Niki found it, said sorry for leaving us behind. I don't know when he left or anything-” Ranboo cut himself off. In his panic, he had forgotten why he was there in the first place. “But, But it couldn't have been that long ago, and oh Sam, we have to get all your things packed! Surly it hasn't been too long, if i try hard enough, we can find out where they went, we can go with them and,, and,,”

And what? Make them come back? Hell no, Ranboo couldn't do that to them. He knew why they had left, he was their friend after all. He had spent many nights comforting the ex- president while he was apart from his best friend. He knew how little Tubbo cared for L’manburg anymore, this country had nothing but take and take from him. Why should Tubbo want to save it from its inevitable ending any way? And Tommy! Lords know how much big man Mr. TommyInnit  _ hates  _ what the country he died for has become. Ranboo would never force either of them to come back, even if it would kill him. (Knowing Ranboo’s attachment issues, just might if he didn't end up just staying with them.)

  
  


Stay with them.

“Ranboo? You dropped off kid, what's going through your mind?” Sam was having his own internal struggle. It was not a secret to himself that he had begun to see the three teens as something like family. He had accepted the fact he saw Tubbo as his son a long time ago, and when the two boys had finally made up, it was common that during some of the visits Tommy had made to see Tubbo, they would come over to Sam for things to do. His home was a safe space. (As safe as you could get while being a part of this shitty SMP. There were nights where Sam had made it to his base's door before he snapped out of his rage filled sleepwalking. His axe clenched in a white knuckled grip and the image of Dream’s head on a spike was all he could think about. (He held Tommy when he had a panic attack once; redstone misfiring sounded like explosions. The Creeper hybrid couldn't remember a time where he had cried so hard once he was alone, and it want even for himself))

“We- we can stay. We have nothing here either right Sam? We can find them and.. And help them build. Make a home away from this nightmare. They won't come back Sam, you and I know that, but it's not like we wanna be here either.” He knew he was basically begging for the older man to see his point of view. The idea of letting the two younger teenagers leave his life for good was almost too much to bear and Gods know Ranboo wants to get as far away from Dream and the hallucinations as possible. The only real question here was if Sam would go with him.

He knew Sam saw Tubbo as his son, and slowly began to see Tommy as the same. Ranboo didn't know where he fit into that family picture, but he ~~(hoped)~~ knew he was in there somewhere. But would it be enough for the Redstone genius to drop everything and leave everybody behind just to restart again somewhere far away? Is it even realistic of Ranboo to ask him to do such a thing?

“Okay.”  _ Wait, What?  _ “We can- This is doable. I need to message a couple of people and pack quite a few things, so it's likely we won't be leaving till tomorrow morning but okay.” Sam Slowly brought them both up to a standing position while still rubbing a comforting hand down Ranboo’s shoulder. The Enderman was reeling. Was it really that easy? Is that actually it? He’ll be on a one way trip out of this hell hole in about 24 hours with one of the only authority figures he respects and later be living a peaceful life with his two best friends. A complete restart. 

Sam stayed pressed to his side as he led Ranboo to one of the guest rooms that had been made. (There were 5 guest rooms. One for each of the boys, designed after their interest and favorite colours. One For his closest mate Ponk, and one for Puffy. The mother hen stayed over whenever she couldn't handle seeing what her ‘duckling’ was becoming and Niki was nowhere to be found. She’s over more and more lately.)

Sam sat them both down on the deep violet covers of the bed, comforting Ranboo as best he could while the Enderman was still coming down from what was surely a panic attack. It took awhile but he did eventually calm down all the way and was left exhausted.

“Go to bed, Ran, It's okay. We’ll be out of here in no time. Besides, the prep work I gotta do before then is boring anyway.” Ranboo was tired, undoubtedly, but he hated not being up and helping out so they could leave sooner. “It's fine kid, everything I gotta do is easy anyway. Rest now. You're safe.”

Sam’s reassured and lowered voice and lulled Ranboo to sleep quick enough. The Creeper pulled a thin blanket that was hanging off the end of the bed over the Teenager and left the room as quietly as he could. He shut the door closely behind him with a heavy sigh and pulled out his communicator.

Awesamdude:

Puffy, Ponk. We need to talk asap.


	5. Fist Sunrise is Always the Most Important

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo's laments on his new freedom and pull Tommy away to experience their first sunrise in their new home together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is miserably late, I'm currently moving and living outta boxes so life is a little hectic right now. This are gonna start picking up soon, I promise!

The area they had been dropped into was absolutely beautiful. The natural, untouched flora and fauna gave the forest an ethereal feel and Tubbo loved nothing more. The clearing they had found was nothing short of stunning. A semi large oval shaped clearing with a large mountain being the backing and the forest covering the other three-quarters of the clearing’s edge. Thousands of varying flowers littered the area, paths created by animals flattening out the towering grass and creating intricate accidental patterns. Nestled in the mountain was quite a few large caves that Tommy had said had the markings of going quite deep. 

Tubbo was still wary of smaller spaces (and damn did that fact hurt. Tubbox was once a fun inside joke, now it was a focal point in some of his worst nightmares. It's almost poetic how something that was once so fun and innocent was corrupted with the tidings of war.) so when Tommy insisted that one of them went into the caves for materials and the other began collecting wood, the decision for who to go where was obvious. And Boy did Tubbo fucking hate it. Past the fact that he felt like a coward for not being able to do something as easy as mine, he was still anxious over the idea of Tommy being underground. 

The loud teeneger was careful, He knew that, but the chances of him hitting a wrong stone or getting in a fight with a creeper and causing a tunnel to collapse had been the only thing on the Moonbloom Hybrids mind as he carefully chopped down trees and replanted saplings as soon as they fell. Tommy had given Tubbo all the building supplies he had stuffed into his shulker box before he had run from the cottage; a stack and a half of dark oak wooden planks, one stack of smooth stone, a crafting bench, two furnaces, a smoker, and an extra half a stack of wood. It was all he could really think to grab in his scrambling without accidentally waking Techno. (Tubbo could see it in Tommy’s eyes when he was explaining. The taller boy missed the Piglin a lot, even if it had only been a few hours since he had left. He assured the older boy that Techno didn't care enough to notice he was missing, much less to go after him for a few building materials, and Tubbo could see the way tears tried to build in his eyes before Tommy laughed and turned towards the mountains with a wave (At least Tubbo got to say goodbye))

His thoughts were scattered as he picked up the logs he had just finished chopping down. He was a few feet into the forest around the clearing, not wanting to change the way the clearing looked naturally. He placed down a sapling in the exact spot the tree had been the moment one fell to the ground before making a sharp turn and finding his way back into the clearing. He shot at a stray Zombie with a bow he brought along and looked up at the sky once he breached the canopy of trees. The sun was not yet visible, but the sky was clearly lightening. In about an hour, Tubbo noted, he would be witnessing the first sunrise of his new life. (In the back of his mind, he remarked how they were going to have to get used to a new time zone, the hours delayed by what he would guess was 3 hours. (maybe this would be a good time to fix his awful sleep schedule))

He pulled out his communicator and very clearly ignored the mounting messages from his Vice- from Quackity, scrolling down until he found Tommy’s contact, pushed near the bottom by new messages from friends back home.

Tubbo_

Its almost sunrise, come bakc now

TommyInnit:

i'll be up in thirty

Tubbo pocketed the device once more and headed to the clearing; debating which other materials he wanted to build their house with. (He hated building with cobble, it was an ugly block, but Tommy loved building with it and Tubbo knew if he worked with it correctly he could make a nice looking house. Getting it would be a bit difficult, but the Moonbloom supposed he could ask Tommy for whatever the younger boy had in his inventory when he got here.)

When he got to the center of the clearing, tubbo turned in a slow 180˙till he located where the sun was rising from and pulled the crafting bench out from the back of his inventory. Placing the block down, the older boy made a shotty bench with the wood he had just collected, picked up the crafting table once more, and walked to the edge of the clearing towards the soon-to-be rising sun. The area was right next to the mountain and line of trees, so Tubbo made a few smooth stone stairs and etched his way up to a small, natural platform on the mountain where he placed the bench he had just created. 

He looked up the the sky again and pulled out his communicator once more when he saw the sky lightning considerably.

Tubbo_:

Hurryyyyyyyyyyyyy

TommyInnit:

i'm literally right here.

Tubbo whipped around when he heard the sound of gravel crunching below someone's feet. There, Tommy stood proudly, covered in coal and smelling faintly of earth. Tubbo grinned and bounced over to the taller to smother him in a hug.

“Gods Tubbo, I was gone for less than an hour. Are you really  _ that _ clingy?” Tommy’s tone was light and playful as he wrapped his arms around Tubbo tightly, strictly contradicting his words.

“Oh please, with your luck? For all I knew, you could have easily gotten your dumbass stuck. Do you know what a bother it would be to have to go and save you?” Tubbo could feel Tommy’s chest vibrate when he laughed and he squeezed tighter to make sure the younger boy knew Tubbo would never actually find him a bother.

“Like I, The Great Tommy fucking Innit, would ever need saving!” Tommy laughed loudly when he pulled away, grinning down at a laughing Tubbo before grabbing his hand and pulling both of them over to the bench. Their banter was loud and Tubbo felt like he hadn’t stopped laughing since he started. While listening to some bullshit story Tommy had begun spewing, The older teen glanced toward the sky and began frantically slapping the younger's thigh to gain his attention.

Tommy grabbed his wrists to stop the attack. “Jesus, what- what?!”

“The sun, Tommy! Shush, it's almost here!”

Tommy quieted, grip loosening as he saw the excitement in his best friends eyes. He smiled softly while looking at Tubbo, before turning his sights on the sky. (Really, that was why he left. Screw his feelings and everyone else at L’manburg, Tubbo was who he really cared about. Seeing such joy in his face again over something as simple as their first sunrise in their new life was adorable. This time he swore he would protect it. (Tubbo swore the same thing when he first hugged Tommy once he came out of the cave. He couldn't lose the taller boy ever again. He would keep him safe this time, XD be damned))

The sunrise was everything the two could have hoped for for the first day of their new life together, free. Pinks and oranges painted the sky and stained the wispy clouds overhead. Lilacs and soft toned reds mixed into the most beautiful cacophony of colour, brightening the world and spilling over the head of the two boys. The mountains stood out stark against it, shadows slowly brightening as the sun crests the horizon, rays spilling through the forest below them softly, bathing every creature in a golden glow. It was breathtaking, and it was theirs.


End file.
